


Step Closer

by MissTangle



Category: Mission: Impossible (Movies)
Genre: Guns, How Do I Tag, I'm Bad At Summaries, Kissing, M/M, Pre-Relationship, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 13:37:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16913844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissTangle/pseuds/MissTangle
Summary: It's not uncommon for bad things to happen to Benji. Ethan's reaction this time, however, is a little out of the ordinary.





	Step Closer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ruthc93](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruthc93/gifts).



> This one was a long time coming, but at last, here it is! Titled for one of my go-to phrases when writing that I discovered at approximately 2 am last night. I'm doing fantastic.

_Bang._

And just like that, the man who had been holding a gun to Benji's head hit the ground unceremoniously.

It took Benji a few seconds to convince himself that the gunshot hadn't been the sound of his own death, but instead that of the man holding him hostage. Ethan stood a distance away, gun still aimed at the body on the ground, eyes a little wilder than Benji was used to seeing. Benji swallowed his childish need to run to him, instead remaining fixed to the spot, motionless. It seemed safer that way.

Ethan stepped toward him, slowly, one hand reaching out. “Are you okay?” His voice sounded strange to Benji. Strained, almost shaking. Benji figured it must be his eardrums still trying to recover from the sound of the gunshot.

“I'm fine.” He was, really. He tried moving now, taking a step or two towards Ethan to indulge that strange need of his to get closer. Ethan mirrored the action, shortening the distance between them further.

“You're sure?”

“I'm sure.” Benji let himself smile. “Besides, it's not like this is the first time this has happened. Probably won't be the last.”

Ethan nodded, apparently satisfied with that answer. He seemed to decide it was safe enough to put the gun away before finally moving to stand by Benji's side. “I'm sorry, Benji.” He sighed. “I'm sorry that this keeps happening, even though I promised it wouldn't.” He looked up and met Benji's eyes.

Benji was suddenly hyper aware of how close Ethan actually was. He'd moved a little closer than usual, into Benji's personal space. It wasn't often he got so close, and there was usually something wrong when he did. Benji felt his heart rate picking up again.

Ethan's eyes dropped to the ground. “I just want to keep you safe.” His voice was a dark whisper. His hands were shoved into his jacket pockets, his jawline tensed. Something about it pulled Benji to him. All it took was one more step to close the gap between them. Benji leaned his forehead against Ethan's, savoring the electric sensation that shot through his body at the contact. Ethan didn't pull away, instead leaning back against Benji, their foreheads pressing together with the force of that magnetic pull Benji was sure they could both feel.

And then, very suddenly, Ethan's lips met Benji's.

It was just the lightest brush, and it lasted only a fraction of a second. Ethan pulled away with a trembling sigh and hid his face against Benji's neck. “We can't do this.” His voice was shaking.

Benji took a slow breath in the hopes of steadying his own voice. “Why not?”

Ethan didn’t answer, instead letting out another shaking exhale before lightly nuzzling Benji’s neck.

“Ethan, why not?” The words were barely a whisper. It was clear enough that Ethan wanted to. Benji did, too — he’d dreamed of it for years, but he’d never expected Ethan to return his feelings. And now that he knew Ethan did, he wasn’t about to let him back away again without a fight.

“We can’t.” Benji could feel the brush of Ethan’s words on his skin. “I can’t. Because I can’t lose you.”

“Ethan—”

“I can’t lose you.” Ethan’s arms were around Benji now, pulling him closer, holding him tightly. “And I can’t protect you. Not well enough. I’ve already almost lost you so many times. If we were together, and anybody found out about it, do you know how much danger you’d be in? It would be so much worse. And I wouldn’t be able to stop it from happening. And then one day I wouldn’t be good enough. And I’d lose you.”

“Ethan.” There was a strange feeling in Benji’s chest. Warm, but somehow pained at the same time. He returned Ethan’s hug. “We’ve talked about this. I can handle it. I’m a field agent. I know what I signed up for.” He leaned his cheek against Ethan’s head and closed his eyes tightly. “Besides, you’re going to lose me one day anyway. Might as well go for it while we’ve still got the chance, right?”

Ethan pulled back suddenly and looked at Benji with shining eyes. Benji found he couldn’t stand the sight. “We can’t,” Ethan insisted again, his voice small, unsure.

“We _can_.” Benji leaned forward before Ethan could argue and found Ethan’s lips with his own again. It was a little more insistent this time, a little longer. Benji could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to Ethan’s once more. “Okay?”

“Okay. Maybe.”

“ _Ethan_.”

Ethan laughed, just a little. “Okay. We can.”

_We can do this._


End file.
